Ch.Lafon Rochet 2016 750ml

Wine Advocate #230, Apr 28, 2017 by Neal Martin
The 2016 Lafon Rochet is a blend of 25% Merlot, 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot and 6% Cabernet Franc cropped at 46 hectoliters per hectare and matured in 50% new oak. The harvest was between 1 October and 20 October. The alcohol is 13.6%, which is just a little higher here than say Cos d'Estournel or Montrose. It has a very succinct bouquet with blackberry, bilberry and light oyster shell aromas, classic in style, more reserved than I found the 2015 Lafon Rochet last year. The palate is medium-bodied with powerful tannin on the entry, a keen line of acidity (3.65 pH), fine symmetry with a pleasant rondeur on the finish sprinkled with black pepper and tobacco. This is a very fine Lafon Rochet from Basile Tesseron and his team.

Chateau Lafon Rochet in St. Estephe dates back to the middle of the 17th century. The estate was founded In 1650, when Antoinette de Guillemotte, brought the land of Rochette as her dowry to her husband, Pierre de Lafon. de Lafon with well-known in the region as he was a member of the Bordeaux Parliament. Shortly after they were married, following the custom of the day, the property was renamed, taking the name family name and Chateau Lafon Rochet was born.
While many Bordeaux vineyards were confiscated during the French Revolution, that did not happen to Lafon Rochet. In fact, the Left Bank estate remained the property of the same family for more than two centuries. In 1880, Madame Lafon de Camarsac died. Her death caused Lafon Rochet to drift into all changed in 1959 when the Tesseron family purchased and completely renovated Lafon Rochet from top to bottom. That began the modern era of Lafon Rochet.
Tesseron had his work cut out for him at his Medoc property. The vineyards were in poor shape. Much of the land needed to be replanted. Because the wine making facilities had also become dilapidated, Tesseron was forced to build all new wine making facilites. Even the Chateau had to be replaced!

Vegetables, Mushrooms